This list of major Negro league baseball teams consists of teams that played in the seven major Negro baseball leagues. For a league to be considered "major," there were usually two top-tier leagues at a time: one representing the northeastern states – known as the "East", and one representing the north-central states – known as the "West". Formal leagues were organized in 1920.

In December 2020, 75 years and one month after Jackie Robinson signed a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Major League Baseball announced they were finally recognizing these seven major leagues on par with other major leagues.

The following teams played at least one partial season in one of the major Negro leagues. Some teams also played as either a barnstorming (or traveling) team, a minor league team or a team that existed after the integration of Major League Baseball (1946) when the talent level declined dramatically.

Alabama

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Birmingham Black Barons19201961NSL (1920–23, 26, 31–36)
NNL1 (1924–25, 27–30)
NAL (1937–38, 40–61)
  • NSL was a minor league every season except 1932
  • Did not field a team for 1939
[1]
Montgomery Grey Sox (II)19311932Independent (1931)
NSL (1932)
[2]

Arkansas

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Little Rock Grays19321932Negro Southern League[3]

Delaware

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Wilmington Potomacs
(See Washington Potomacs)
19251925ECL (1925)
  • Disbanded mid-season 1925
[4]

District of Columbia

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Washington Black Senators19381938ECL (1938)
  • Disbanded in August before season ended
[4]
Washington Elite Giants
(See Baltimore Elite Giants)
19361937NNL2 (1936–37)[5]
Washington Pilots19321932EWL (1932)[4]
Washington Potomacs club
  • Washington Potomacs (1923–24)
  • Wilmington Potomacs (1925)
19231925Independent (1923)
ECL (1924–25)
[4]
Washington Homestead Grays
(See Homestead Grays)
1939c.1950sNNL2 (1939–48)
Independent (1949–c.50s)
  • Split home games in Pittsburgh
  • Alternately known as Washington Grays later
  • Sparingly used Pittsburgh as home field after c.1948
[6]

Florida

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Jacksonville Red Caps club
  • Jacksonville Red Caps (1938)
  • Cleveland Bears (1939–40)
  • Jacksonville Red Caps (1941–42)
19381942NAL (1938–42)
  • Disbanded midway through 1942 season
[7]

Georgia

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Atlanta Black Crackers (I) club
  • Atlanta Black Crackers (I) (1919–38)
  • Indianapolis ABCs (IV) (1939)
19191939Ind.(19,22–25,28,30–31,33–34,37)
NSL(I)(20–21,26–27,29,32,35–36)
NAL (1938–39)
  • NSL was a minor league every season except 1932
  • Disestablished May 1939
[8][9]

Illinois

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Chicago American Giants19101952Independent (1910–19)
NNL1 (1920–31)
NSL (1932)
NNL2 (1933–35)
Independent (1936)
NAL (1937–52)
  • Formed via 1909 split of Leland Giants
  • Known as Leland Giants (II) 1910
  • Also known as Cole's American Giants 1932–35
  • Moved majority of home games temporarily to Indianapolis 1933
[10]
Chicago Giants19101921Independent (1910–19)
NNL1 (1920–21)
[11]

Indiana

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Cole's American Giants
(See Chicago American Giants)
19331933NNL2 (1933)
  • Played majority of home games temporarily in Indianapolis 1933
[10]
Indianapolis ABCs (I)c.19131926Independent (1913–19)
NNL1 (1920–26)
[9]
Indianapolis ABCs (II) club
  • Indianapolis ABCs (II) (1931–33)
  • Detroit Stars (II) (1933)
19311933NNL1 (1931)
NSL (1932)
NNL2 (1933)
  • Relocated to Detroit shortly after opening day 1933
[9][12]
Indianapolis ABCs (III)
(See St. Louis Stars (III))
19381938NAL (1938)[9][13]
Indianapolis ABCs (IV)
(See Atlanta Black Crackers (I))
19391939NAL (1939)
  • Disestablished May 1939
[9]
Indianapolis Clowns club
  • Miami Giants (c.1930s)
  • Ethiopian Clowns (c.1930s–42)
  • Cincinnati Clowns (1943)
  • Indianapolis–Cincinnati Clowns (1944)
  • Cincinnati Clowns (1945)
  • Indianapolis Clowns (1946–62)
c.1930s1962Independent (c.1930s–42)
NAL (1943–55)
Independent (1956–62)
Indianapolis Athletics19371937NAL (1937)[4]
Indianapolis Crawfords
(See Pittsburgh Crawfords)
19401940NAL (1940)
  • Folded after 1940 season
[14]

Kentucky

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Louisville Black Caps club
  • Louisville Black Caps (Apr–Aug)
  • Columbus Turfs (Aug–Sept)
19321932NSL (1932)
  • Relocated to Columbus in August then folded at end of season
[4]
Louisville White Sox19311931NNL1 (1931)[4]

Louisiana

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Monroe Monarchs1920s1935Negro Southern League (1932)
  • NSL only organized league to complete the 1932 season
    (Considered de facto Major League)
[15]
St. Louis–New Orleans Stars
(See St. Louis Stars (III))
19401941NAL (1940–41)
  • Split home games between New Orleans and St. Louis
[13]

Maryland

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Baltimore Black Sox (I)19161933Independent (1916–22)
ECL (1923–28)
ANL (1929)
Independent (1930–31)
EWL (1932)
NNL2 (1933)
[16]
Baltimore Black Sox (II)19341934NNL2 (1934)
  • Only played second half of season then folded
[16]
Baltimore Elite Giants club
  • Nashville Standard Giants (1919–20)
  • Nashville Elite Giants (1921–30)
  • Cleveland Cubs (1931)
  • Nashville Elite Giants (1932–34)
  • Columbus Elite Giants (1935)
  • Washington Elite Giants (1936–37)
  • Baltimore Elite Giants (1938–51)
19191951Independent (1919–29)
NNL1 (1930–31)
NSL (1932)
NNL2 (1933–48)
NAL (1949–51)
  • Dissolved around 1951
[5]

Michigan

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Detroit Stars (I)19191931Independent (1919)
NNL1 (1920–31)
[12]
Detroit Stars (II)
(See Indianapolis ABCs (II))
19331933NNL2 (1933)
  • Relocated from Indianapolis shortly after opening day 1933
[9][12]
Detroit Stars (III)19371937NAL (1937)[12]
Detroit Wolves19321932EWL (1932)
  • Only season in existence
[17]

Missouri

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Kansas City Monarchs19201965NNL1 (1920–31)
Independent (1932–36)
NAL (1937–61)
Independent (1962–65)
  • Later based in Grand Rapids, MI 1956–65
[18]
St. Louis Stars (I)19061931Independent (1906–19)
NNL1 (1920–31)
  • Known as St. Louis Giants 1906–21
[13]
St. Louis Stars (II)19371937NAL (1937)
  • Only season in existence
[13]
St. Louis Stars (III) club
  • Indianapolis ABCs (III) (1938)
  • St. Louis Stars (III) (1939)
  • St. Louis–New Orleans Stars (1940–41)
  • Harrisburg–St. Louis Stars (1943)
19381943NAL (1938–41)
NNL2 (1943)
  • Played home games in New Orleans and St. Louis 1940–41
  • Did not field a team for 1942; team merged with New York Black Yankees of NNL
  • Played all home games in Harrisburg; none in St. Louis 1943
[9][13]

New Jersey

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Bacharach Giants (I)19161929Independent (1916–22)
ECL (1923–28)
ANL (1929)
Newark Browns19321932EWL (1932)[19]
Newark Dodgers19331935Independent (1933)
NNL2 (1934–35)
  • Merged with Brooklyn Eagles to become Newark Eagles 1936
  • (See Newark Eagles entry)
[20]
Newark Eagles club
  • Newark Eagles (1936–48)
  • Houston Eagles (1949–50)
  • New Orleans Eagles (1950–51)
19361951NNL2 (1936–48)
NAL (1949–51)
  • Formed via 1936 merger of:
Newark Dodgers (1933–35)
Brooklyn Eagles (1935)
[20]
Newark Stars19261926ECL (1926)[21]

New York

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Brooklyn Eagles19351935NNL2 (1935)
  • Merged with Newark Dodgers to become Newark Eagles 1936
  • (See Newark Eagles entry)
[20]
Brooklyn Royal Giants19051942Independent (1905–06)
NA (1907–09)
Independent (1910–22)
ECL (1923–27)
Independent (1928–42)
  • Deteriorated to minor league status by the 1930s
[22]
Lincoln Giants19111930Independent (1911–22)
ECL (1923–26)
Independent (1927)
ECL (1928)
ANL (1929)
Independent (1930)
  • Based in New York City
[23]
New York Black Yankees19311959Independent (1931–35)
NNL2 (1936–48)
Independent (1949–59)
  • Known as Harlem Black Bombers 1931
[24]
New York Cubans19351950NNL2 (1935–36)
NNL2 (1939–48)
NAL (1949–50)
  • Did not field a team 1937–38
[25]

Ohio

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Akron Black Tyrites19331933NNL2 (1933)
  • Merged/replaced the Columbus Blue Birds mid-season 1933
  • Folded/replaced by the Cleveland Giants for last month of 1933
[26]
Cincinnati Buckeyes
(See Cleveland Buckeyes)
19421942NAL (1942)[27]
Cincinnati Clowns
(See Indianapolis Clowns)
19431945NAL (1943–45)
  • Played home games in Indianapolis and Cincinnati 1944–45
  • Also known as Indianapolis–Cincinnati Clowns 1944–45
Cincinnati Cuban Stars
(See Cuban Stars (West))
19211921NNL1 (1921)
Cincinnati Tigers19341937Independent (1934–36)
NAL (1937)
[28]
Cleveland Bears
(See Jacksonville Red Caps)
19391940NAL (1939–40)[7]
Cleveland Browns19241924NNL1 (1924)[29]
Cleveland Buckeyes club
  • Cincinnati-Cleveland Buckeyes (1942)
  • Cleveland Buckeyes (1943–48)
  • Louisville Buckeyes (1949)
  • Cleveland Buckeyes (1950)
19421950NAL (1942–50)
  • Half of 1942 home schedule in Cincinnati, half in Cleveland
  • Disbanded mid-season 1950
[27]

[30]

Cleveland Cubs
(See Baltimore Elite Giants)
19311931NNL1 (1931)[5]
Cleveland Elites (1926)
Cleveland Hornets (1927)
Cleveland Tigers (1928)
19261928NNL1 (1926–28)
  • Teams are considered separate but closely linked
[31]
[32]
[33]
Cleveland Giants19331933NNL2 (1933)
  • Formed from remnants of the Akron Black Tyrites for end of 1933
[34]
Cleveland Red Sox19341934NNL2 (1934)
  • Only season in existence
[35]
Cleveland Stars19321932EWL (1932)
  • Folded mid-season 1932
[36]
Cleveland Tate Stars19221923NNL1 (1922–1923)
  • Played as NNL team in 1922, played as associate team in 1923
[37]

[38]

Columbus Blue Birds19331933NNL2 (1933)
  • Dissolved/merged with Akron Black Tyrites mid-season 1933
[39]
Columbus Buckeyes19211921NNL1 (1921)
  • Only season in existence
[40]
Columbus Elite Giants
(See Baltimore Elite Giants)
19351935NNL2 (1935)[5]
Columbus Turfs
(See Louisville Black Caps)
19321932NSL (1932)
  • Relocated from Louisville in August then folded at end of season
[4]
Dayton Marcosc.1910sc.1930sIndependent (c.1910s–19)
NNL1 (1920)
Independent (1921–25)
NNL1 (1926)
Independent (1927–c.30s)
[41]
Toledo Crawfords
(See Pittsburgh Crawfords)
19391939NAL (1939)[14]
Toledo Tigers19231923NNL1 (1923)
  • Folded mid-season 1923
[42]

Pennsylvania

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Harrisburg Giants19221927Independent (1922–23)
ECL (1924–27)
[43]
Harrisburg–St. Louis Stars
(See St. Louis Stars (III))
19431943NNL2 (1943)
  • Played all home games in Harrisburg; none in St. Louis
  • Disbanded mid-season 1943
[13]
Bacharach Giants (II)19311942Independent (1931–33)
NNL2 (1934)
Independent (1935–42)
Hilldale Club19161932Independent (1916–22)
ECL (1923–28)
ANL (1929)
Independent (1930–31)
EWL (1932)
  • Also known as Hilldale Daisies, Darby Daisies
  • Based near Philadelphia
[44]
Philadelphia Stars19331952Independent (1933)
NNL2 (1934–48)
NAL (1949–52)
[45]
Philadelphia Tigers19281928ECL (1928)[46]
Homestead Grays club
  • Homestead Grays (c.1912–38)
  • Washington Homestead Grays (1939–c.50s)
  • Washington Grays (1939–c.50s)
c.1912c.1950sIndependent (c.1912–28)
ANL (1929)
Independent (1930–31)
EWL (1932)
Independent (1933–34)
NNL2 (1935–48)
Independent (1949–c.50s)
  • Based near Pittsburgh
  • Started to split home games with Washington, D.C. 1939
  • Sparingly used Pittsburgh as home field after c.1948
[6]
Pittsburgh Crawfords club
  • Pittsburgh Crawfords (1931–38)
  • Toledo Crawfords (1939)
  • Indianapolis Crawfords (1940)
19311940Independent (1931–32)
NNL2 (1933–38)
NAL (1939–40)
[14]
Pittsburgh Keystones (II)19211922NNL1 (1921–22)[47]

Tennessee

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Memphis Red Sox19231962Independent (1923)
NNL1 (1924–25, 27–30)
NSL (1926, 31–36)
NAL (1937–62)
[48]
Nashville Elite Giants
(See Baltimore Elite Giants)
19191934Independent (1919–29)
NNL1 (1930)
NSL (1932)
NNL2 (1933–34)
  • Known as Nashville Standard Giants 1919–20
  • Relocated as Cleveland Cubs 1931 then returned to Nashville
[5]

Wisconsin

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Milwaukee Bears19231923NNL1 (1923)
  • Only year in existence
[49]

Traveling teams

Team1st YrLast YrAffiliation(s)NotesRef
Cuban Stars (East) club
  • New York Cuban Stars (1916–19)
  • Havana Cuban Stars (1920)
  • Cuban Stars (East) (1921–c.34)
1916c.1934Independent (1916–22)
ECL (1923–28)
ANL (1929)
Independent (1930–c.34)
  • Played road games primarily in the New York and northeast region of the US
Cuban Stars (West) club
  • Cuban Stars of Havana (1906–19)
  • Cincinnati Cuban Stars (1920–21)
  • Cuban Stars (West) (1922–32)
19061932IL (1906)
NA (1907–09)
Independent (1910–19)
NNL1 (1920–30)
Independent (1931)
EWL (1932)
  • Played road games for its first five years primarily in the eastern states near New York City and Philadelphia
  • By 1916 the team was competing primarily in the northern midwestern states
  • Based in Cincinnati 1920–21 and then returned to playing only road games

References

  1. "Birmingham Black Barons". Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Retrieved 2013-02-12.
  2. "Montgomery, Alabama Negro League City Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2013-02-12.
  3. "Little Rock Grays". seamheads.com. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Negro league teams". Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Retrieved 2013-02-12.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Baltimore Elite Giants". Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
  6. 1 2 "Homestead Grays". Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
  7. 1 2 "Jacksonville Red Caps". Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Retrieved 2013-02-16.
  8. "Atlanta Black Crackers". Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Retrieved 2013-02-17.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Indianapolis ABCs". Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Retrieved 2013-03-22.
  10. 1 2 "Chicago American Giants". Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Retrieved 2013-02-26.
  11. Gary Ashwill (ed.). "Chicago Giants". Negro leagues database (Seamheads.com). Gary Ashwill. Retrieved 2013-02-26.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "Detroit Stars". Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Retrieved 2013-03-26.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "St. Louis Stars". Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Retrieved 2013-03-26.
  14. 1 2 3 "Pittsburgh Crawfords". Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Retrieved 2013-03-22.
  15. Holway, John (2001). The Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues: The Other Half of Baseball History. Fern Park, Florida: Hastings House Publishers. p. 284. ISBN 0-8038-2007-0.
  16. 1 2 "Baltimore Black Sox". Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Retrieved 2013-03-26.
  17. "Detroit Wolves". Negro League Baseball Players Association. Retrieved 2013-03-28.
  18. "Kansas City Monarchs". Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Retrieved 2013-03-26.
  19. "1932 Newark Browns". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2013-09-19.
  20. 1 2 3 "Newark Eagles". Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
  21. "1926 Newark Stars". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2013-09-19.
  22. "Brooklyn Royal Giants". Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
  23. "New York Lincoln Giants". Negro League Baseball Players Association. Retrieved 2013-03-29.
  24. "New York Black Yankees". Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
  25. "New York Cubans". Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
  26. Gary Ashwill (ed.). "Akron Grays". Negro leagues database (Seamheads.com). Gary Ashwill. Retrieved 2013-09-20.
  27. 1 2 "Cleveland Buckeyes". Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Retrieved 2013-03-23.
  28. "Cincinnati Tigers". Negro League Baseball Players Association. Retrieved 2013-03-28.
  29. Gary Ashwill (ed.). "Cleveland Browns". Negro leagues database (Seamheads.com). Gary Ashwill. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
  30. "1942 Cincinnati/Cleveland Buckeyes". Baseball.Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-05-29.
  31. "1926 Cleveland Elites". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
  32. "1927 Cleveland Hornets". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
  33. Gary Ashwill (ed.). "Cleveland Tigers". Negro leagues database (Seamheads.com). Gary Ashwill. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
  34. Gary Ashwill (ed.). "Cleveland Giants". Negro leagues database (Seamheads.com). Gary Ashwill. Retrieved 2013-09-20.
  35. "1934 Cleveland Red Sox". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
  36. "1932 Cleveland Stars". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
  37. "1922 Cleveland Tate Stars". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
  38. "1923 Cleveland Tate Stars". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2014-05-29.
  39. Gary Ashwill (ed.). "Columbus Blue Birds". Negro leagues database (Seamheads.com). Gary Ashwill. Retrieved 2013-09-20.
  40. Gary Ashwill (ed.). "Columbus Buckeyes". Negro leagues database (Seamheads.com). Gary Ashwill. Retrieved 2013-09-20.
  41. "Dayton Marcos". Negro League Baseball Players Association. Retrieved 2013-03-28.
  42. Gary Ashwill (ed.). "Toledo Tigers". Negro leagues database (Seamheads.com). Gary Ashwill. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
  43. "Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Negro League City Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
  44. "Hilldale Daisies". Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
  45. "Philadelphia Stars". Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
  46. Gary Ashwill (ed.). "Philadelphia Tigers". Negro leagues database (Seamheads.com). Gary Ashwill. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
  47. Gary Ashwill (ed.). "Pittsburgh Keystones". Negro leagues database (Seamheads.com). Gary Ashwill. Retrieved 2013-09-21.
  48. "Memphis Red Sox". Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
  49. Gary Ashwill (ed.). "Milwaukee Bears". Negro leagues database (Seamheads.com). Gary Ashwill. Retrieved 2013-09-15.
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